Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Dynamic mechanism subsystem – Access of multiple storage elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-26
2001-07-24
Klimowicz, William (Department: 2652)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Dynamic mechanism subsystem
Access of multiple storage elements
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266317
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to libraries and more particularly, to libraries for accommodating cartridges accommodating storage media.
Libraries for accommodating storage media to be loaded in personal computers or the like are subject to stringent dimensional restrictions. This dictates appropriate methods of accommodating cartridges. A variety of libraries thus have heretofore been proposed and used.
FIGS. 7 and 8
show an example of such library, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 1-285056. This library has a path
102
provided centrally of a housing
101
. A cartridge transfer mechanism
103
is provided for movement along the path
102
. The library further comprises a drive unit
105
facing the path
102
and storage units
106
to
109
disposed in four rows A to D on the opposite sides of the path
102
.
The rows A to D consist of pluralities of storage units
106
to
109
, respectively. In each of these rows, a space corresponding to one storage unit, as shown by dashed rectangle in
FIG. 7
, is provided so that the storage units are movable along the row. The storage units
106
to
109
are supported on guide rails
111
and
112
supported in the housing
101
, and are movable only horizontally along the rails via coupling members
113
and
114
mounted on them. That is, the storage units
106
to
109
are movable along a rack
112
a
mounted on the rail
112
a
by prime motors
115
provided therein and each having a pinion
115
a
meshing with the rack
112
a.
In operation, for the transfer of a cartridge
110
from the storage unit
107
or
108
to the drive unit
105
, the cartridge transfer mechanism
103
takes out the given cartridge
110
from the storage unit
107
(or
108
). The taken out cartridge
110
is conveyed and then inserted into the drive unit
105
. For the transfer of a cartridge
110
from the storage unit
106
or
109
to the drive unit
105
, the storage unit
107
or
108
located ahead of the storage unit
106
(or
109
) with the given cartridge
110
stored therein, is moved to a position able to be accessed by the cartridge transfer mechanism
103
. Then, the cartridge transfer mechanism
103
can take out the cartridge
110
and, like the above case, insert the same into the drive unit
105
.
The above prior art library, however, has a problem that the spaces necessary for moving the storage units deteriorate the accommodation efficiency. In addition, a prime drive source is necessary for each storage unit, and each storage unit should be positioned at a predetermined position. Furthermore, flexible cables are necessary for transmitting signals from sensors to a control unit. For the above reasons, the whole mechanism is relatively complicated, and also a large number of necessary drive sources dictate a large number of parts, thus leading to high cost. Still further, for increasing the access speed the storage units should be moved at a time. In this case, however, collision of storage units are possible unless all the storage units are moved at a constant speed. In the long run, the storage units have to be moved one by one, leading to access time increase. Moreover, spaces corresponding to at least two storage units are necessary, and the width of the library is correspondingly increased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention was made in view of the above problems inherent in the prior art libraries, and an object of the present invention is to provide a library having a high storage medium accommodation efficiency, simple in construction, with a low cost in manufacture to reduce access time and width.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a library comprising storage unit capable of storing a plurality of cartridges accommodating storage media one above another, a drive unit for reading and writing data from and in the storage media, and a cartridge transfer mechanism for transferring the cartridges between the drive unit and the storage unit, wherein: the storage unit stores a plurality of cartridges mounted therein and accommodates a cartridge having been rotated horizontally by approximately 90 degrees with respect to a cartridge inserting direction of the library.
The library according to claim
1
, wherein the storage unit with the cartridges mounted therein is moved along an approximately L-shaped groove to cause straight movement and rotation by approximately 90 degrees, thereby moving the cartridges to a position accessible by the cartridge transfer mechanism. The storage unit has guide pin means projecting from the bottom surface, a track member having the substantially L-shaped groove for guiding the guide pin means is disposed beneath the storage unit, a movable member having projection means capable of being brought into contact with the guide pin means is disposed beneath the track member, the storage unit being capable of being moved along the substantially L-shaped groove with movement of the guide pin means along the substantially L-shaped grove. The library according to claim
1
, wherein the cartridge transfer mechanism serves to rotate a cartridge mounted in the storage unit by approximately 90 degrees, then takes out the cartridge in this state, then rotates the taken-out cartridge in the opposite direction by approximately 90 degrees and then load the cartridge in the drive unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a library comprising: a drive unit disposed in a rear top part of the library and serving to read and write data from and in a storage medium accommodated in a cartridge; a cartridge transfer mechanism disposed ahead of the drive unit such as to be able to access the cartridge therein and serving to move the cartridge; first storage unit capable of accommodating a cartridge having been rotated by 90 degrees with respect to a cartridge inserting direction of the library, being moved and rotated when accessed by the cartridge transfer mechanism and accommodating a plurality of cartridges one above another; second storage unit disposed transversally symmetrically with and having substantially the same role as the first storage unit; a storage unit transfer mechanism for moving the first and second storage units; a control unit for controlling the cartridge transfer mechanism and the storage unit transfer mechanism.
The storage unit transfer mechanism includes: first carrier, for supporting the first storage unit, comprising depending long pins each having a free end portion and a depending short pin; second carrier, for supporting the second storage unit, comprising depending long pin and a depending short pin; track member disposed beneath the first and second carriers, and having an L-shaped and transversally symmetrical groove in which the long and short pins are received; movable member in shape of disc-like which has projections formed at the top and is supported for rotation about a point in a central part of the library; a gear train disposed adjacent to the outer periphery of the movable member, which is constituted by a plurality of gears and serves to transmit the torque of a motor to the movable member.
According to other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a library comprising: a drive unit disposed in lower central part of the library and serving to read and write data from and in media accommodated in cartridges; a cartridge transfer mechanism disposed at a position ahead of and accessible to a cartridge and serving to cause movement and rotation of the cartridge; and a plurality of storage units each capable of accommodating a cartridge having been rotated by 90 degrees with respect to a cartridge inserting direction of the library.
Other objects and features will be clarified from the following description with reference to attached drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4910619 (1990-03-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 5031057 (1991-07-01), Kikuchi et al.
patent: 5124975 (1992-06-01), Naoki et al.
patent: 5432419 (1995-07-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5432656 (19
Chen Tianjie
Klimowicz William
McGuireWoods LLP
NEC Corporation
LandOfFree
Libraries for accommodating cartridge storage media does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Libraries for accommodating cartridge storage media, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Libraries for accommodating cartridge storage media will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2561670